Fondy Food Center Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
HE FONDY FOOD CENTER CONNECTS GREATER MILWAUKEE TO LOCAL, FRESH FOOD- FROM FARM TO MARKET TO TABLE - SO THAT CHILDREN LEARN BETTER, ADULTS LIVE HEALTHIER, AND COMMUNITIES CELEBRATE CULTURAL FOOD TRADITIONS.
- Income
- $688,629
- Spending
- $652,427
- Spent on programs
- 74%
- Reserves
- 6.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 50%
- Employees
- 9
- Volunteers
- 50
- Highest pay
- $52,705, farm director and coo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending October 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 70% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 6.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 13% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 5% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 9% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1574% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending October 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 97 out of 100. Higher than 93% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 5 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
12 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending October 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $386,401 spent. FONDY INCREASES ACCESS TO HEALTHY, LOCAL FOOD AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ACROSS GREATER MILWAUKEE BY OPERATING LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR; PROVIDING ACCESS TO LAND, RESOURCES AND SUPPORT TO SMALL-SCALE FARMERS; AND BUILDING A BETTER FOOD SYSTEM TO IMPROVE FOOD SECURITY & FOOD JUSTICE IN OUR COMMUNITY. THE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION WAS CREATED IN 2000 ON MILWAUKEES NORTH SIDE AS A RESPONSE TO FOOD SECURITY & SYSTEM ASSESSMENTS THAT IDENTIFIED A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF HUNGER, POVERTY, AND DEPENDENCE ON EMERGENCY FOOD PANTRIES IN THE AREA - AND THE KEY ROLE THAT THE STRUGGLING FONDY FARMERS MARKET PLAYED. THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE STARTED THE MARKET IN 1917 AND MANAGED OPERATIONS UNTIL THE BUDGET WAS CUT IN THE 1980S. FARMERS STRUGGLED TO KEEP THE MARKET GOING UNTIL FONDY WAS CREATED WITH THE EXPLICIT MANDATE TO ENSURE THE SUPPLY OF FRESH, LOCALLY GROWN FOOD TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THIS MARKET IMPROVES PUBLIC HEALTH, STRENGTHENS THE LOCAL ECONOMY, PROTECTS THE ENVIRONMENT, AND SERVES AS A COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACE. OVER THE PAST DECADE, FONDY HAS GROWN FROM ONE FARMERS MARKET TO AN ORGANIZATION CREATING STRATEGIC FOOD SYSTEMS CHANGE WITH MULTI-SECTOR PARTNERS. FONDY NOW OPERATES TWO MARKETS -FONDY FARMERS MARKET AND MILWAUKEE WINTER FARMERS MARKET - THAT SUPPORTED OVER A HUNDRED VENDORS AND THOUSANDS OF SHOPPERS IN 2021. IN 2010, FONDY STARTED THE FONDY FARM PROJECT, WHICH SUPPORTS LOW-RESOURCE FARMERS WITH ACCESS TO THE LAND, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT THEY NEED TO OPERATE A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS. AND IN 2015, IN ORDER TO EXPAND THE AGENCYS PUBLIC HEALTH IMPACT, FONDY LAUNCHED THE MILWAUKEE FARMERS MARKET COALITION - A CITY-WIDE HEALTHY, LOCAL FOOD ACCESS INITIATIVE THAT CONNECTS MORE LOW-INCOME CONSUMERS TO MORE MILWAUKEE AREA FARMERS MARKETS. IN 2017 FONDY PARTNERED WITH THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE TO BUILD A NEW ECO PARK AND COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACE NEXT TO THE FONDY FARMERS MARKET.THE FONDY FARMERS MARKET (FFM): FFM IS MILWAUKEES LARGEST AND MOST DIVERSE FARMERS MARKET AND THE SPRINGBOARD FOR THE AGENCYS HEALTHY FOOD EFFORTS. IT IS A NATIONAL LEADER IN CONNECTING WITH LOW- INCOME AND DIVERSE CONSUMERS, AND IS THE STATE LEADER IN FARMERS MARKET SNAP REDEMPTION AND NUTRITION INCENTIVE PROGRAMS. THE FFMS OPEN AIR MARKET CREATES SPACE FOR THE COMMUNITY-SHOPPERS OF ALL AGES, ORGANIZATION REPRESENTATIVES, ARTISTS, AND PERFORMERS-TO CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER AND THE MORE THAN 40 PRODUCERS WHICH SELL AT THE MARKET FROM JUNE THROUGH NOVEMBER. TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SHOPPERS VISIT THE MARKET EACH YEAR-PRIMARILY DRAWING FROM THE MILWAUKEES NORTH SIDE. THE MARKET HAS LONG BEEN RECOGNIZED AS A KEY COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACE AND THE NEW FONDY PARK GREATLY EXPANDS THAT ROLE. THE MILWAUKEE WINTER FARMERS MARKET (MWFM): THE MWFM IS THE PREMIER WINTER FARMERS MARKET IN THE REGION. ITS LONGTIME MISSION IS TO PROMOTE LOCAL, SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE; INCREASE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL FAMILY FARMS AND INNOVATIVE FOOD BUSINESSES; PROVIDE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO WHOLESOME FOOD; AND BUILD A VIBRANT GATHERING PLACE FOR METRO MILWAUKEE RESIDENTS AND VISITORS. FONDY FOOD CENTER TOOK OVER STEWARDSHIP OF THIS MARKET IN THE FALL OF 2015.
- $92,268 spent. THE FONDY FARM PROJECT (FFP): THE FFP WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2010, WHEN STAFF REALIZED THAT FONDY FARMERS MARKETS PRIMARILY LOW INCOME, HMONG AMERICAN FARMERS WERE DROPPING OUT OF FARMING DUE TO NUMEROUS CHALLENGES. THE FFP OFFERS AFFORDABLE, LONG-TERM LEASES ON QUALITY LAND PLUS THE AMENITIES NEEDED TO SUCCEED, SUCH AS IRRIGATION, GREENHOUSES, TRACTORS, AS WELL AS TECHNICAL TRAINING AND BUSINESS ASSISTANCE FROM THE FONDY FARM DIRECTOR. IN 2017, RESPONDING TO INCREASED DEMAND FOR FARMLAND, AND LAND CLOSER TO THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE WHERE MOST OF OUR FARMERS LIVE, FONDY MOVED ITS FARM TO THE MEQUON NATURE PRESERVE (MNP) AND INCREASED THE NUMBER OF FARMERS INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT TO OVER 20. THE FFP IS ALSO ENGAGED IN INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIPS TO EXPLORE LAND SOVEREIGNTY FOR SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMERS, WITH A GOAL OF CONNECTING SMALL SCALE FARMERS TO LAND WHILE PRESERVING FARMLAND FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS, AND UTILIZING SUSTAINABLE FARMING TECHNIQUES TO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY IN THE MILWAUKEE RIVER WATERSHED.
- $4,835 spent. PUBLIC HEALTH ADVOCACY - LED BY THE ORGANIZATION, THE MILWAUKEE FARMERS MARKET COALITION PARTNERS ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO BUILD A HEALTHIER AND MORE EQUITABLE FOOD SYSTEM ACROSS MILWAUKEE. THIS CITY-WIDE HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS INITIATIVE CONVENES FARMERS MARKETS, HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATIONS, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, HUNGER RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN ORDER TO INCREASE ACCESS TO, AND UTILIZATION OF, FARMERS MARKETS BY LOW INCOME CONSUMERS. THIS WORK IS INCREASING PRODUCE INTAKE WITHIN MILWAUKEE AREA COMMUNITIES WHILE STRENGTHENING THE LOCAL ECONOMY THROUGH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, TRAINING, AND JOINT MARKETING EFFORTS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending October 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending October 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since February 2003.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
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